Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Denton, TX and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,210 a month against $2,350 in Denton, TX, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

114

Cost of Living Index in Denton, TX
Learn more

Denton, TX Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Denton, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,350

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Denton, TX and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Denton, TX and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,350 in Denton, TX versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen.

Denton, TX $2,350
Playa del Carmen $1,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,547 in Denton, TX versus $2,113 in Playa del Carmen.

Denton, TX $3,547
Playa del Carmen $2,113

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,745 in Denton, TX versus $3,016 in Playa del Carmen.

Denton, TX $4,745
Playa del Carmen $3,016

Living in Denton, TX is roughly 94% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Denton, TX is 74% above, Playa del Carmen is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.78 $17.78

$10.76 MX$199

65.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$43.03 MX$795

74.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 $11.21

$11.79 MX$218

-4.92%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$3.87 MX$71.4

29.97%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.37 MX$25.29

89.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.84 MX$15.44

90.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.10 MX$57.3

90.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$5.07 MX$93.6

36.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.44 MX$26.55

-45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.23 MX$41.23

29.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.47 MX$27.17

101.36%

Eggs

$2.73 $2.73

$2.53 MX$46.71

7.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 $10.07

$7.30 MX$135

37.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.07 $10.07

$7.86 MX$145

28.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.51 $16.51

$12.79 MX$236

29.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.90 MX$53.6

58.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.44 MX$26.53

6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.55 MX$47.07

30.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$2.06 MX$38.03

104.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.00 MX$36.97

-6.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.01 MX$37.07

45.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.19 MX$22.02

29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.26 MX$23.23

111.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 $10.19

$4.40 MX$81.4

131.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.69 $11.69

$9.59 MX$177

21.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.59 MX$29.41

47.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.81 MX$51.9

36.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.57 MX$10.47

168.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.29 $48.29

$27.82 MX$514

73.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 $3.28

$4.98 MX$92.1

-34.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.50 MX$64.6

-56.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.91 $29.91

$5.40 MX$99.8

453.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.47 MX$27.08

-33.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.4K $27.4K

$21.0K MX$387.8K

30.38%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.2K $27.2K

$23.9K MX$441.8K

13.74%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$223 $223

$84.2 MX$1,556

165.09%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$23.99 MX$443

181.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.2 $75.2

$29.02 MX$536

159.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.67 $32.67

$63.0 MX$1,164

-48.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.26 $32.26

$29.14 MX$539

10.71%

Cinema Ticket

$16.00 $16.00

$4.94 MX$91.3

223.89%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,796 $1,796

$204 MX$3,763

781.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K $20.0K

$3,941 MX$72.8K

407.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 $50.8

$43.60 MX$806

16.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 $50.2

$43.12 MX$797

16.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 $99.6

$75.8 MX$1,400

31.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$88.6 MX$1,637

45.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 $1,267

$1,008 MX$18.6K

25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 $1,061

$374 MX$6,911

183.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,322 $2,322

$1,708 MX$31.6K

35.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,918 $1,918

$1,106 MX$20.4K

73.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,712 $2,712

$3,944 MX$72.9K

-31.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,175 $2,175

$6,169 MX$114.0K

-64.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,782 $3,782

$754 MX$13.9K

401.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

11.45

-40.79%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Denton, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Denton, TX

$1.1K 45.2%

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9% 64.7% $687

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Denton, TX

$366 15.6%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3% 62.5% $229

Groceries & Markets

Denton, TX

$348 14.8%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4% 25.8% $90

Eating Out

Denton, TX

$296 12.6%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7% 31.7% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Denton, TX

$148 6.3%

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3% 23.8% $35

Getting Around

Denton, TX

$65 2.8%

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3% 19.6% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Denton, TX

$65 2.8%

Playa del Carmen

$73 6% 12.7% $8.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,267 in Denton, TX and $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Denton, TX pays 401% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $75.0 in Denton, TX vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $348 vs $258 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Denton, TX

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

01:09 1:09 AM

Same time as Denton, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

109,561

149,923

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Denton, TX Playa del Carmen 1,720 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Denton, TX
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Denton, TX vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Denton, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 401% higher in Denton, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,267 in Denton, TX versus $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Denton, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $75.0 in Denton, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,210 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,350 in Denton, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Denton, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,210 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Denton, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.